1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle body side structure that absorbs a side impact load in a side impact collision.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional vehicle body side structures that absorb a side impact load in a side impact collision are described in JP-A-10-95231, JP07-81507 and JP-A-08-26144. For example, in JP-A-10-95231, a bracket for load transmission is attached to an impact bar, which extends in a longitudinal direction and is attached to a lower portion of the interior of a vehicle door. An inboard surface of the bracket faces an end surface of a crossmember.
In the above-described conventional structure, however, when the side impact load is applied to a location that is offset from the bracket (e.g. a location that is, for example, located forward of the bracket), the load transmission rate to the crossmember, and hence the vehicle body, decreases. Accordingly, the thickness of the door panel must be increased to absorb a larger impact load.
In other words, in the above-described conventional structure, the bracket for load transmission and an end surface of the crossmember are aligned only in the lateral direction. Accordingly, the side impact load is effectively transmitted to the bracket when the side impact load is applied at the exact location of the bracket and only in a lateral direction. However, the load transmission rate decreases when an offset side impact load is applied to the bracket location, because the bracket is not in planar contact with the crossmember, which results in local (i.e., partial) deformation of the contact portion or the decreases of deformation resistance.